Vaginal dilator



Patented June 14,1898.

A. F. HOLLAND. VAGINAL DILATOR.

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEicE.

ALEXANDER F. HOLLAND, Oi BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA.

VAGINAL "DI LATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 605,547, dated June 14, 1 898.

Application filed April 28, 1897.

T0 CLZZ whom it mayponoern: 1

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER F. HOL- LAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Berkeley, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vaginal Dilators; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof.

, My invention relates to an apparatus for assisting the physician or surgeon in making examinations or performing operations relat ing to the uterusv or other parts accessible through the vagina in the female.

The main object of my invention is to afford means for expanding or dilating the vaginal canal, with theresult that thesight and touch of the operator need not beobstructed by the hands of an assistant holding instruments. Thus, while it is a convenient apparatus for any physician, its advantages are more apparent to doctors practicing in country districts, where skilled assist antsare often lacking, since it permits the physician to undertake operations alone which, so far as I am aware, have hitherto required one or more assistants.

A further object is to combine with the dilating device means for supporting a speculum or blade, so that the entire apparatus required in making uterine and like examinations and operations is included in one structure and operated by single person.

I have embodied my invention in an apparatus which I have fullyhereinafter described, and have shown in'the accompanying drawings, in which v Figure l isa front elevation of the entire a apparatus. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3

is a cross-sectionat line of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail si'de elevation of a speculum and its mode of attachment to the body of the apparatus. Fig. 5 is adetail view of the means for adjustingtheposition of one of the dilating-arms. Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse section of Fig. 5. 9

The apparatus whe' n'in use should stand within a tub A, which is placed on the floor at the foot of the operating-table.

B is a :base having a hollow standard B, which receives the stem 0. The stem telescopes within the standard and base, so as to be adjustable to different heights, and is fixed Serial No. 634,269. (No model.)

l at any desired point of adjustment by a setscrew 1. The stem is forked, so as to provide two vertical branches D, between which are vertical ears 2 2. Between these ears is pivoted a cylinder E, containing a piston F, the stem 3 of which is encircled by a coiled pressure-spring t, which tends to press the piston toward the bottom of the cylinder. The stem 3 projects from the cylinder and carries the hooks 5 5, by means of which the operator manipulates it.- The stem terminates in a' plate 6, having holes to receive the hooks 7 7 of the bladeG. The latter maybe of any desired shapeor construction, The cylinder is preferably closed above and below by scr'ewcaps S 8, the upperone being perforated to allow the stem 3 to protrude.

Pivoted to the outer face of vertical branch es D are the dilating-arms H H. These are fiat flexible steel arms which converge slightly toward their upper ends, which are turned about at right angles,so as to form two slightlydiverging pressure-plates 9 9. To the upper ends of the branches D are pivoted leafsprings 10, the free ends of which are recessed into the arms H II, as shown at.11.

These springs'force the dilators constantly apart, so that the pressure-plates 9 9 bear against the walls of the canal andexpandj it laterally, while the speculum draws down upon the vagina, leaving'an unobstructed passage to conduct the operation or examination.

-The dilator-arms arepivoted to the branches D in such a manner as to be easily and indearm, and a head 13, set at an angle to the slot,

is provided for the pin-upon which each dilator is pivoted. Hencethedilator can be removed after turning it until its slot; registers with the head 13. The spring 10, pivoted at one end and recessed into the dilator at the other, follows the movement of the latter,

"maintaining a constant outward pressure.

LEach dilator is adjustable to any angle desired by the operator and can be locked at each adjustment. For this purpose a quadrant I, having a waved or scalloped edge, is secured to each dilator, .proj ectin g toward the front, one of such quadrants'beingremoved from Fig. ,1. A'bracket-J projects atan angleiwliich is radial to the quadrant and carries at its end a guide 1&- for the quadrant. \Vithin this guide is a spring-pressed bolt 15, having a curved bearing-face to engage the edge of the quadrant firmly enough to lock it against accidental displacement and still to allow the operator to make the adjustments by pulling or pushing upon the dilator.

In operating this apparatus the base is set at the foot ofthe operating-table, upon which the patient is placed in proper position. In inserting the dilators they are compressed slightly after adjustment to the proper angle for entrance, after which they spring ontwardly, making a clear passage for operations.

Both dilators can be used or only one, or both can be inserted and then one removed, and all these operations, changes, and adjustments are entirely under the control of the single operator.

It will be observed that in making my apparatus I have avoided to the greatest extent the formation of corners and angles where germs or microbes might otherwise collect, and also that the whole apparatus is easily taken apart and put together for cleaning. It is also to be noticed that by using my dilators in combination with the intermediate blade a clear passage for the escapefof blood is left, which trickles centrally down the instrument into the tub, instead of spattering upon the operator and surroundings. Operations are thus rendered more cleanly; but of course the greatest advantage gained by the use of the apparatus is in the dispensing with the assistant ordinarily required for dilating the canal, whose hands or instruments interfere with the operator and who must be constantly directed in his manipulations.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to obtain by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination, the vertical supportin standard having a forked upper end, a dilat ing-arm removably pivoted to the upper end of each fork, springs for pressing said arms apart, and means for independently adjusting each arm to any desired degree upon the fork, substantially as described.

2. In combination, the forked standard, the elastic dilating-arms carried upon the extremities of the fork, the vertically-movable spring-pressed support, and the speculum flexibly connected to said support, substantially as described.

In combination, the vertical supporting forked standard, a vertical elastic dilatingarm secured to the upper end of each fork and having a lateral wing at its upper end, a vertically-movable member between the arms, and a blade or speculum secured to said vertically-movable member, substantially as described.

I. In a dilator and in combination, a forked standard, a spring-actuated dilating-arm connected to each fork, a cylinder pivoted between the forks, a spring-actuated stem within said cylinder and means for attaching a speculum to said stem.

5. In a dilator the combination with the forks of the supporting-standard, of dilating-arms, having slot-ted lower ends and pivotpins, upon which said arms are mounted, whereby said arms can be adjusted and removed, and means for locking said arms at different adjustments.

(3. Ina dilator, andin combinatirni, a forked support, a dilating-arm pivoted to each fork and removable therefrom, a quadrant secured to each arm, and a bolt carried by each fork and adapted to lock the quadrant and arm at different adjustments.

In testimonywhereof I have afiixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 10th day of April, 1897.

ALEXANDER F. HOLLAND.

\Vitnesses:

L. W. SnnLv, Manna J. DIE'IZ. 

